Microsoft Clears Up Activation Options For Windows 10

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My windows 10 activation voided when I had to replace the motherboard due to faulty Ethernet port. I tried to re-activate but alas the windows 8.1 key was found to be useless. I called Microsoft, and got to talk to a very nice lady with a distinctly Indian accent (in Cupertino?), who kept going completely down her script and eventually telling me every time, "You need to purchase a new Microsoft windows 10 license and I can put you through to someone to do that". I hung up the phone annoyed at the lack of service on a repair issue, and then proceeded to back down the "free" Windows 10 installation, to 8.1, and found that I was again activated, so I then re-updated the computer to windows 10 again, to find it still activated :)
Walla! (this only works within 30 days of updating to windows 10) (Why couldn't tech support at Microsoft simply tell me that ?)
Click to expand...

Now here is were i need clarification. We had passed the 30 days from the actual release. I've updated myself to windows 10 pro from 8.1 pro but going to upgrade my PC to skylake soon.

After the Hardware upgrade,Should i install Windows 8.1 pro with its key and upgrade it to windows 10 like before OR simply install windows 10 and call the customer support to activate it ?
 
The family pack problem is probably a loss, MS made a mistake not following its own rule of one key one computer.

I've been upgrading systems to Windows 10 for a couple of weeks now, and here's what I've learned.

1. Always always back up your system (disk image backup) and get a printout of all the current licenses on your system with Belarc Advisor, which is still free for individuals.

2. If you have a family pack, or you're upgrading from XP, get a cheap Windows 7 OEM license/download, they run about $50. (Yes, you will be stuck on that motherboard, and if it dies you'll need a nice MS rep to unstick it.) You can use Rufus to turn the ISO into a bootable flash drive or DVD. Again, once you upgrade to this valid license, use Belarc Advisor to print out the license, and backup the drive.

3. You can now upgrade to Windows 10. Once you are done, backup the drive and get a Belarc Advisor printout, as MS has issued you a NEW license for Windows (NOT your Win 7 or Win 8 license), which you must use if you re-install it.

I've upgraded 4 systems in the last two weeks using the guidelines above, very different architectures, and have not encountered any problems, except one system only had 1 GB of memory, so I had to remove all running applications. If the upgrade runs out of memory, it just goes PUFF.

Microsoft is what it is. Sometimes great, sometime mediocre, but they own this space. As a software engineer, I would much rather deal with MS than deal with Oracle, which really owns the "other" space.

Regards
Jon

(Jonathan Campbell, very-long-time software engineer)
 
I am using an activated W/10 on a Dell 780, which was the result of using one of the online standard activation codes for one of the W/10 (WTP) preview editions. Windows then soon updated it to the release version.

However, I have a valid DVD (New Egg) upgrade from XP of W/8, which allows transfer to another PC, and the PC that it (as 8.1) was on died fans yes, but no screen) due to the CPU apparently (after reinstalling the heat sink. CPU also would not work in another compatible mobo) I hope to replace that CPU, and install W/8 and then up to 8.1 and then (in time) to W/10 (assuming it will activate).

But unless MS grants activation simply due to having an activated WTP, then it would seem to that to be legal I must nuke the W/10 on the Dell 780 i am now using, even if both are officially activated. Comments?
 
If you have a valid license for the upgrade of XP to 8/8.1, then I think, no matter what the mechanism, that you have enough to get another Win 10 license, without any reference to your Dell 780. But you need a platform to put it on, that will actually run Win 10. (I'm writing this from a Dell 760 that I upgraded to Win 10).

The unfortunate part of the 8.1 and 10 upgrades is that they require processors (and their BIOS) to recognize and support NX (aka DEP) and several other advanced features, so it places millions of operational Dimensions, Optiplexes, and other systems into the junk heap.

Jon
 
I performed a Windows 10 upgrade for free and wanted to know how to go back to my previous version. I waited a couple days after working with the new Windows 10, then I found the option that said I had 28 days remaining before the necessary files would be removed from my system. I decided to rollback. I know I had 28 days, but I was too comfortable with my Windows 7 Ultimat. Well, the rollback failed. The message said that the files needed were no longer on my computer. I knew the folder that had my previous installation and that folder was still there. But there must be a file or files that integrate with the rollback procedure to access the data and restore it to it's original state. I figured I was the recipient of bad luck. I did have my data backed up. I got my original Windows back with everything in tact bvut I wanted to figuere out why this even happened. Let me tell you the story, it might be interesting to some...

I upgraded again. This time I did not wait and I performed the rollback after I finished the installation. Rollback worked fine. Just a random glitch the first time? Due to my incessant paranoia, I couldn't accept that. So I started to experiment. I figured I would install, upgrade, re-install, and restore several times. This was gonna take a while so I put the coffee on. 3rd time, I installed, and once everything was complete, I decided to play around. I was able to start rollback and I cancelled before letting it actually restore my previous Windows. But I was able to see it was going to work. I also noticed after a while that automatic updates was disabled. I enabled it. Ppdates immediately begin to download and install. I had an idea that perhaps there was an update that may have caused my rollback to stop working. Boy was I on the right track. I rebooted, and the updates were still finishing so the reboot did not take place immediately. Once I got the system back up I tried the rollback again. BAM! Right in my face!. It failed. Files needed were no longer on my system. Was my reboot responsible for this? Was it the Windows updates and the reboot? I was not entireley sure I isolated this conpletely yet. So, I restored Windows 7 and did the Windows 10 upgrade yet again.

OK, now, this was the one that I think showed me what was happening. After installing Windows 10 upgrade, I tried rollback, it started but again I stopped it before actually going through with the restore. I did the windows updates and let them complete. I did not perform a reboot. Biut I let the updates finish. I was supposed to reboot, but I did not at this time. I tried rollback first. It failed. I have now pinned it down to rollback failing after the first set of Windows updates. Nothing to do with rebooting. I did not have a good idea of how many updates actually took place or which one caused it. But, before those updates, rollback was working. After theose updates, rollback was NOT working.

OK, I replicated the problem at least 3 times. The question I have now is WHY? I had already tried to question Microsoft. There was a specific tech support message board on the Microsoft site specifically designated for those with issue using rollback. But, all the questions just seemed fabricated. As if it were a path being laid out for people to follow and gather some instructions that applied to each individual's situation. Some questions ask about how to perform rollback. Others are asking if there is a way to restore the previous Windows installation. Just not a message board with alot of people complaining about issues. And every answer to every question was from the same guy. He was a tech from Microsoft on this forum. I tried to reply to a few of the messages since I had issues with rollback and this was a message board for that purpose. Every time I replied to another person's question or problem, my response never got posted. There is something very strage about this. Because I even posted my own question with details and it would have probably been one of the only questions that talked about an actual situation experienced by a real person. Well, my message was said to be getting reviewed by a moderator. It never made it to the board. I posted this question again and even asked a couple other questions. Never got posted. It seems the moderator is being selective and posting only the messages that would make him and/or microsoft appear to be handling all relative issues concerning rollback. But they were not. They were only building a message board by taking bits and pieces of info that were not likely from actual people's situations. It just seems like it is fabricated. Questions & Answers. Made to look like a place to get help but it looked like it was only an instructional type of message board and not a bunch of real people at all. And now I am really wondering why. There is even more...........

Why is rollback a problem? Why is the tech support message board looking as if it is fabricated? What's the deal. I have a very unusual but creative suspicion that I think some may find is a very logical and possible scenario.
I think rollback was deliberately made to fail through a set of updates that are performed after Windows 10 uopgrade is installed. But why? The success of Windows 8/8.1 was an abomination. There are stats that monitor how many systems were actually using Windows 8/8.1 vs those using XP/Vists/Win 7/etc.....The number of systems said to be using Windows 8/8.1 before Windows 10 was released was so low that Microsoft could not afford to screw up with Windows 10. Only about 16% of the systems out there were using Windows 8/8.1 and the rest were spread out over the other OS platforms with Windows 7 being the top dog with near 58-60% or so. Now, if you offer a major uopgrade like Windows 10 for FREE and people don't want it, I would say investors will likely throw in the towel. This was a make it or break it chance for Microsoft. And the key to the success was predicated on how well they do within the first 30 days. And that is why the 30 day time frame for those of us who want to keep Windows 10. The rollback option was a clear indicator of the success of Windows 10. I mean, they were giving this away for free to all Windows 7 users, which dominated the Windows based OS market, and Windows 8/8.1 users, which were the only sure thing they likely had since thiose people would likely accept Windows 10 if they were content keeping the dreaded Windows 8/8.1. SO they could count on 16% but need to win the other 58060% or most of them, if possible. So, what do you do if you see that a few weeks into the campaign, Microsoft is not seeing the results they hoped?

Well, each user has 30 days once they upgrade. So depending on how many upgrades were being done daily, weekly, monthly, versus how many rollbackss took place is gonna give the true rate of success. But, if the number of people wanting to perform rollbacks begins to rise, I believe there was a plan B. And that was an update designed to complicate the rollback process. And complicated it was. The over-all success could now be masked. Because all those people who now had to resolve restoring their old OS and data by using backups or re-installing our previous version of Windows are now off the grid. If there are investors or people that are predicating their involvement with Microsoft on the success of WIndows 10, they now have hidden alot of rollbacks from view. And just as I said, since we did not rollback using the option provided, we are no longer part of the statical data that they may be using to prove the rate of their success with Windows 10.

I admit, this might be a stretch, but not beyond the realms of reality. And I actually think the tech support message board I was dealing with is all fabrication. And as I was dealing with all of these things, the trail I was following is what brought about these conclusions. And ironically, I actually like Windows 10. And rollback time limits have probably come and gone fro alot of people by now. And alot of those who had problems like this may never be part of the statistical data that validates the true success of Windows 10. Something to think about
 
I think you are right on target, and this (I'm afraid to say) is rather different than the Microsoft I am used to (although, there is some bitter history about Windows that is not well known - where it came from).

Yes, we grew to know that their first releases of products were pretty bad, but usually .1 or .2 was pretty good. Metro (Windows 8) was a public relations and economic nightmare. This release may have much more PR handling involved. This release CANNOT FAIL, and any evidence that it might fail, or negative press about it, will not make it onto the MS website. The support board messages may be fake or just composites of messages from novice users.

I think Win 10 is much better than 8 or 8.1. But it has some weird and serious bugs. I never trusted the rollback strategy, it is way too complicated to really do that right (with updates, as you point out). I have an old copy of Acronis True Image 2010 that I use to create disk image backups, so I can restore the entire disk or retrieve any lost data.

Kind Regards
Jon Campbell, long-time software engineer
 
Ganron,

If you use a good disk image backup tool that allow restore to a different architecture (there are a few such backup tools), and use Belarc Advisor to get the Windows 10 license key, you should be able to just restore the Windows 10 image directly onto the disk of the new system. (I would use Belarc to get the data from - and backup the original disk on - the new system, just to be sure you can get it back if the restore fails...)

The license activation may fail as a result of moving it to a different system, and then you would need to call one of those friendly MS representatives with the accent, and if they cannot service your request to disassociate the license from your previous system, say (until you talk to someone who understands the issue): "Let me talk to your supervisor, please." Eventually you will get someone in the US.

If all else fails, and you don't have any good version of Windows to start with on your new system, you may need to buy an OEM version of Windows 7 for $50 or so and go through a Windows 7 to Windows 10 upgrade. I know that;'s a PIA, but sometimes a PIA is better than being stuck with nothing.
 


As said, I am running W/10 on a Dell 780, which has a Intel dual core 2.93 CPU, and it runs fairly well, but cannot handle all i would normally use it for.
 
I'm still trying to get a clear and official answer about my Windows 7 Home Premium Family 3-pack. All 3 computers use the same license key. If I upgrade 1 of the 3 computers and Windows 10 turns the key into a key for itself, do my other 2 machines become non-genuine?

This was the biggest factor of why I reverted my laptop back to Windows 7 after 2 weeks. I couldn't get an clear, official answer about this. I tried calling, but got no useful information...
Click to expand...
I may not be an official source but if Microsoft won't say it I will, you're screwed. Windows 10 takes the product key you had from windows 7 and converts it into an entitlement. Entitlements are only good for the motherboard they are installed on, period. You cannot use them on another system or if you upgrade the motherboard.

Microsoft should have accounted for issues like multi-PC licences but they were too busy chasing the cloud and dollar signs. Not only does the name "entitlement" suggest you must remain in the good graces of microsoft but it also means that you no longer own your software.
Click to expand...

What you are is totally wrong. Microsoft is pretty lax on this issue, if you call them and tell them "I had to replace or I decide to replace the motherboard in this computer!" 99..999% of the time, they will reactivate your license number for use with that new motherboard.
They do NOT want to push you to going KMSPico or something similar in order to use Windows on your updated system.
 


That really is just a guess. Because if what you are saying is true, where are that statistics for that 99.999% coming from? I don't trust Microsoft to be fair so I would not buy into that. Unless you have inside information with proof, what you are claiming is based on your own hypothetical assumptions

I bought a retail version of Windows 7 Ultimate. I installed it a couple times and only had to enter my retail registration code and allow registration to complete online. By the 3rd Motherboard CPU Upgrade, I entered the retail registration # and was forced to call their automated registration line. It asked me to enter codes from my computer and such and at the end, my Windows became activated. A couple more hardware upgrades later, registration would fail even when using the automated service via phone. You can forget trying to get a live person. I never could. Eventually after many failed attempts to get a live person on the phone, I had no choice but to resolve it by opening a ticket. And the resolution, which was not fair, took almost a month. So I had no valid Windows but they surely did not care.

Anyway, the information I gave them was detailed and thorough. Their final decision (after careful consideration) was that I tried to register my Windows on too many computers. I proved to them I paid for a retail version and also had receipts to prove each and every Motherboard and CPU and Hard Drive Upgrade I performed, and when. Even more, the receipts for each of the hardware upgrades were within a week or 2 before a respective attempt to register Windows 7 which would indicate I reinstalled after upgrading. Such great evidence and proof yet a very painstaking process dealing with Microsoft. If things are different and they would be willing to just bend the rules with Windows 10, it's probably so they can get a larger % of users with their attempt to win over the masses. Windows 8 really was a touch hit fot them so right now, perhaps they are even willing to GIVE licenses away to save their own skin. But only retail license holders can retain their license after a hardware upgrade and it's very explicit in their licensing agreement. I don't see them budging on this
 


I just wanted to commend your diligence in trying to find the cause for a problem. Whatever the cause, the MS mods behavior was also a problem.

 
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